Andrew McCutchen has oblique injury

The Pittsburgh Pirates' playoff hopes might have just taken a serious hit.

The team is expected to place All-Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen on the 15-day disabled list due to an oblique muscle injury, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Monday. McCutchen could be out at least three weeks or a month, according to the report.

During Sunday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, McCutchen hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and grabbed his left side as he jogged to first base. McCutchen needed help leaving the field and walking down the dugout steps.

McCutchen has never been on the disabled list and has played in all but 25 games since he entered the major leagues in June 2009, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He's played in 843 of 868 games since his debut on June 4, 2009.

The loss of McCutchen would be a major blow to the Pirates, who sit 1½ games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central and are a half-game back of the second wild-card slot.

McCutchen is hitting .311 with 17 home runs and 67 RBIs this season. Winner of the NL MVP award last season, McCutchen is in the running for a second straight honor.